"In friendly contention, the old men
Laughed at each lucky hit or unsuccessful manoeuvre--
Laughed when a man was crowned, or a breach was made in the king-row."
LONGFELLOW--_Evangeline._
The game of Draughts is played on a board of sixty-four squares of
alternate colours, and with twenty-four pieces, called men (twelve on each
side), also of opposite colours. It is played by two persons; the one
having the twelve black or red pieces is technically said to be playing the
_first side_, and the other, having the twelve white, to be playing the
_second side_. Each player endeavours to confine the pieces of the other in
situations where they cannot be played, or both to capture and fix, so that
_none can be played_; the person whose side is brought to this state loses
the game.